Everton missed the chance to secure its place in the Premier League for another season after having two players sent off in losing 3-2 at home to Brentford on Sunday.
Everton said it was helping police after Brentford’s Rico Henry — who scored the winning goal — and Ivan Toney said that members of their family were racially abused.
The game turned on an 18th-minute red card to Jarrad Branthwaite for pulling back Toney, when Everton was leading 1-0 thanks to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal.
Still, Everton — needing a win to guarantee survival — bounced back from conceding an equalizer in the 37th minute because of an own-goal by Seamus Coleman by going ahead again when Richarlison converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time.
Brentford twice in two minutes from the 62nd, through Yoane Wissa and Henry, and substitute Salomon Rondon became the second Everton player to be red-carded after he launched himself studs-first at Henry in the 88th.
Everton stayed two points above the bottom three and has two games remaining, against Crystal Palace at home on Thursday and Arsenal away next Sunday.
Leeds is a point behind Everton and has one game left, at Brentford on the final day, while third-to-last Burnley still has Aston Villa and Newcastle to play.
RACIAL ABUSE
Henry took to social media after the game to call for action.
“I never usually speak out on things that don’t physically harm me or my family but to see my mom upset after being racially abused by a few Everton fans brought fire to my stomach!” Henry tweeted. “I will do anything for them & whatever it takes to get the small minority punished! This is not acceptable & must be investigated immediately.”
After tweeting about the fireworks reportedly let off outside the Brentford team hotel, Toney added: “And for the man that racially abused my family Il (sic) do everything I can to get you the punishment you deserve!”
Everton responded to Toney’s post with a tweet that read: “There is no place in football — or society — for racism. We are assisting Merseyside Police to ensure the individual is identified and dealt with appropriately.”
READ ALSO:
